NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / League / Warriors

NRL: Debunking monster myths

Herald on Sunday
24 Aug, 2013 11:48 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Warriors forwards such as Sam Rapira are seen as giants, when in fact they are often smaller than their Aussie counterparts. Photo / Getty Images

Warriors forwards such as Sam Rapira are seen as giants, when in fact they are often smaller than their Aussie counterparts. Photo / Getty Images

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
The accepted belief that Warriors forwards dwarf their Aussie counterparts is a big misconception.

It's one of the most enduring myths of the NRL, but this year it's become laughable. Despite the fact that the Warriors have, by NRL standards, no more than an average-sized forward pack, the belief that they are a bunch of superhuman giants seems to persist.

Australian television and radio commentators, newspaper writers and even fans possess this everlasting notion that the Warriors' pack are super-sized brutes, running rampant across the fields of Australia and New Zealand.

It couldn't be further from the truth. Look at last night's match - the Titans boasted Ryan James (1.94m and 114kg) and also have Queensland behemoth Dave Taylor in their squad (1.88m and 123kg), while the biggest Warrior was Ben Matulino (1.88m and 107kg).

Last week, 120kg Penrith interchange player Mose Masoe created havoc at Mt Smart, twice knocking Warriors players down like nine pins. It's not that the Warriors can't compete - they are a rough, tough, aggressive set of forwards - but most weeks, they face packs as big, or bigger, than them.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"It started back in 1995," says former Kiwis and Roosters captain Hugh McGahan. "The Warriors came into the competition and had quite a few big, solid Polynesian boys, the like of which the Winfield Cup had never seen before.

"In their time, men like Gavin Hill and Joe Vagana were quite imposing but it's mostly a fallacy these days. Look at the under-20s now; Holden Cup teams like Canberra and Brisbane are bigger than the original Warriors."

Veteran radio commentator Allen McLaughlin, who has covered all but two of the Warriors' home games since their first match, said Australians seem to confuse hard-running, rugged players with size.

"The Warriors have had plenty of hard men over the years but this ongoing belief about a monster forward pack is completely inaccurate when compared to other teams across the competition."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

In round 24, the Warriors forwards (starting and interchange) had an average weight of 101.6kg, with no player over 110kg.

On the same weekend, the Bulldogs engine room averaged 107.6kg, with four players (Frank Pritchard, Greg Eastwood, Tony Williams and Sam Kasiano) heavier than 110kg.

The Rabbitohs' heavyweight hitmen also stand out: the four Burgess brothers all weigh well over 110kg and on that weekend their forwards averaged 105.4kg. Among other teams Canberra, Penrith, Gold Coast, Newcastle and Brisbane all field super-sized packs.

Of the 50 current heaviest players in the NRL, only two reside in Auckland: promising second rower Sam Lousi (1.98m, 116kg) and Russell Packer (1.88m, 112kg).

Discover more

NRL

NRL: Waerea-Hargreaves leads charge for Roosters

24 Aug 01:23 AM
Warriors

NRL: Taylor a big loss as Warriors struggle

24 Aug 01:22 AM
NRL

NRL: Dream debut for Brooks sees Tigers prevail

24 Aug 05:30 PM
Warriors

NRL: Eden Park gets three matches for 2014

24 Aug 05:30 PM

"I'm not sure where the perception comes from," says Warriors coach Matt Elliott. "The Warriors have had some big men over the years but no more than most other clubs.

"Certainly at the moment, we have a group of powerful athletes but there are plenty of other big men in the competition... I guess we all love to use stereotypes in sport and this is one that has hung around for a long time."

Apart from the first few seasons, the last Warriors team of true big men, relative to the rest of the competition, came in the 2003 and 2004 seasons. Coach Daniel Anderson put an emphasis on strength training, bulk and power - which eventually backfired, as the team struggled with endurance and mobility - and picked men such as Jerry Seuseu, Ali Lauitiiti, Mark Tookey, Richard Villasanti, Iafeta Palea'aesina, Sione Faumuina and Evarn Tuimavave.

Players in the NRL seem to get bigger, stronger and faster every year, due to advanced training methods, better nutrition and the array of supplements available.

Kiwis hardman Kevin Tamati (1.78m and 95kg) would be smaller than many wingers today, while fellow legend Mark Graham (1.91m, 90kg) was considered a big second-rower in his time.

Former Balmain star Paul Sironen was head and shoulders above his contemporaries in the 1990s (1.95m, 115kg); now there are at least 30 players of equivalent size and his son Curtis (1.95m, 108kg) is perhaps the biggest half in the history of the sport. Gorden 'The Raging Bull' Tallis was 1.89m and 107kg, about average for a back-rower of today.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Warriors

Warriors

'Confident in his ability': Webster backs Boyd to fill Metcalf void

09 Jul 06:00 AM
Warriors

Tanah time: Boyd to make Warriors debut against Tigers

08 Jul 06:27 AM
Warriors

'One of the great games': Former Warrior and Queenslander's Origin prediction

07 Jul 02:01 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Warriors

'Confident in his ability': Webster backs Boyd to fill Metcalf void

'Confident in his ability': Webster backs Boyd to fill Metcalf void

09 Jul 06:00 AM

Tanah Boyd will debut in the No 7 jersey against the Wests Tigers.

Tanah time: Boyd to make Warriors debut against Tigers

Tanah time: Boyd to make Warriors debut against Tigers

08 Jul 06:27 AM
'One of the great games': Former Warrior and Queenslander's Origin prediction

'One of the great games': Former Warrior and Queenslander's Origin prediction

07 Jul 02:01 AM
Warriors outclassed by Roosters in NRLW return

Warriors outclassed by Roosters in NRLW return

06 Jul 02:30 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP